- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the Senate not to deprive aides to the suspended Kogi lawmaker, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, of their allowances.
Kalu raised the motion for the amendment of the six-month suspension of Natasha which included the stoppage of her salary and emolument as well as the closure of her office.
With the suspension extended to the aides attached to the embattled lawmaker, the former Abia state government made the call for the amendment, stressing that they had nothing to do with Natasha’s suspension.
“Aides have families. Most of them had come from villages, from towns to live in Abuja. It would be wrong to punish aides that have not committed any offense. They are aides and they should receive their allowances.
“The aides of Natasha is not Natasha. It would be wrong for this Senate to deprive those aides not collecting their allownances.
“They are workers. They don’t have any other farm to go to Mr. President. Beacuse these aides are workers of Senator Natasha.
“So, I’m moving for amendment of that section that the aides will receive their allowances. Mr. President I plead with you that these people might be having family in Abuja. They don’t go to any farm. They don’t have any other way of feeding and I think that this Senate, my colleagues, you must the workers of Natasha to have their allowances. I so move Mr. President.” Kalu said.
The motion was seconded by Delta lawmaker, Sen. Ned Nwoko.
He maintained that the workers should allowed to receive their allowances for the purpose of fairness even if they do not come to the Assembly.
Recall that Natasha was, last week, suspended by the Red Chamber after being found guilty of breaching the Senate’s order of engagement following her clash with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, last month.